Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Aug. 31, 2018	Aug. 31, 2017	Aug. 31, 2016
Revenues	[1]	$ 1,350,145	$ 1,221,179	$ 1,127,092
Operating expenses
Cost of services		659,296	566,580	487,409
Selling, general and administrative		324,645	302,464	290,007
Total operating expenses		983,941	869,044	777,416
Operating income		366,204	352,135	349,676
Other (expense) income
(Loss) gain on sale of business			(1,223)	112,453
Interest (expense), net of interest income		(14,366)	(6,600)	(1,136)
Total other (expense) income		(14,366)	(7,823)	111,317
Income before income taxes		351,838	344,312	460,993
Provision for income taxes		84,753	86,053	122,178
Net income		$ 267,085	$ 258,259	$ 338,815
Basic earnings per common share (in dollars per share)		$ 6.90	$ 6.55	$ 8.29
Diluted earnings per common share (in dollars per share)		$ 6.78	$ 6.51	$ 8.19
Basic weighted average common shares (in shares)		38,733	39,444	40,880
Diluted weighted average common shares (in shares)		39,377	39,642	41,365

[1] Revenues are attributed to countries based on the location of the client.